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Odin’s Horse
By Robert Koon
Directed by Anna C. Bahow
Produced by Infamous Commonwealth Theatre
At Raven West Theatre
6157 N. clark Street
Chicago, IL
Call 312-458-9780 www.infamouscommonwealth.org
Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8:30 pm
Sundays at 3:30 pm
Running time is 2 hours, 20 minutes with intermission
Through October 19, 2008
Well written play dramatizes the struggle to save the old growth forests
Infamous Commonwealth Theatre’s theme this season is nature: ‘the sum total of the forces at work throughout the universe.’ Robert Koon (“St. Colm’s Inch” and “Inpainting”) brings environmental issues to the front in “Odin’s Horse.’ This well written work features a strong character, Icelandic mythology with eco-activism into a most compelling story. Robert Koon is a master craftsmen who is deft at story telling, character development and intelligent dialogue.
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Arman (Stephen Dunn) is a successful writer who now is pressured by his publisher for another book. His girlfriend, Callie (Sarah Denison), is a publicist for a large lumbering company. Arman follows Callie to Northern California (near the redwood forests). This wonderful, isolated forest (uniquely fitting set designed by Kathy Arfken) get Arman’s creative juices flowing. He starts remembering his teen years living in Iceland where he learned about the Icelandic myths—many of which connected people to the land. We see that Arman gradually becomes tormented by his innate love of nature and his modernity. The struggle between those who want to preserve nature and those who want to both make a living and provide for society’s needs become played out through a ‘tree-sitter,’ Astra (Cat Dean). Arman has several cell phone conversations with Astra. She tells her story as she occupies a redwood180 feet in the air. Slowly Arman learns to appreciate her courage.
We learn much as Arman and she exchange their stories, beliefs and expectations. Arman and Callie grow apart as he leans toward a story involving nature and the preservation of the old growth forests. Callie totally represents the company and she tries to order Arman against joining Astra on her tree. Stephen Dunn gave a strong performance as Arman—he captures his angst nicely. Cat Dean’s physicality as the tree-sitter and her evocative performance was effective. Robert Koon’s intelligent script effectively flowed mixing Arman’s memories with Astra’s justification for saving the redwoods. Larry Wiley’s Lopat expounds the lumber company’s point of view as “Odin’s Horse” presented a balanced view of the environmental battle. This show is an engaging dramatization of a modern struggle to save the redwoods. It is also good theatre. It’ll get you thinking about this important issue.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: September 21, 2008
Jeff Recommended
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